Butterfly Cannon teams up with visionary ceramicist Peter Pincus to bring Glenmorangie’s oldest ever whisky to life

Glenmorangie, the famed Highland whisky brand, has marked the unveiling of its oldest single malt whisky with a branding and design project that culminates in the creation of 149 handmade vessels by celebrated ceramicist Peter Pincus.

The launch of the 50-year-old whisky blurs the line between rare spirits and collectable art by bringing Glenmorangie and Pincus together in collaboration with creative and design agency Butterfly Cannon, who helped bring an ambitious concept from ‘a sketch on a napkin’ into a stunning physical reality, ensuring the artist’s vision was seamlessly interwoven with Glenmorangie’s brand DNA.

Each of the 149 bottles is nestled inside its own unique vessel, which tessellate to form a dynamic geometric artwork made of 50 distinct colours – one for each year of the whisky’s maturation.

Butterfly Cannon curated the 50 colours of the artwork to reflect the whisky’s warm tones and Glenmorangie’s trademark ‘orangie’ hue across the ceramic canvas – including a complementary metal trim around the vessels and the wooden plinths inside that support each bottle. The final colours were then meticulously matched across the different mediums used in the final packaging.

The agency also designed the bottles, which were individually numbered and carried gold detail that matched the metalwork on the ceramic vessels.  

Butterfly Cannon also designed a bespoke book to accompany each of the 149 bottles, each of which features an individually printed cover that echoes the design of the accompanying vessel.

Finally, to protect and showcase the monumental creations, which each weigh over 10kg, the team designed a robust carry case, wrapped in a chalk-white stock and elevated by a striking sculptural emboss.

Sam Pittman, Creative Director at Butterfly Cannon, said: “This project was a beautiful collision of two art forms: ceramics and whisky making. Working with artists brings me a huge amount of joy and Peter’s unwavering enthusiasm to crack the seemingly impossible sparks equal amounts of admiration and envy. Our role was to work with Peter, respecting his creative concept while grounding it in Glenmorangie’s DNA. From the fifty painstakingly perfect whisky-inspired hues to the story of mastery which we’re telling, every detail has been crafted to ensure this half-a-century-old spirit was presented as the masterpiece it is.”

The 50-year-old malt was produced by Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Whisky Creation, who calls it “a work of art, worth the wait”. A milestone of this magnitude demanded an experience that goes beyond traditional packaging, to create a deeply covetable object where luxury spirits and contemporary art meet as equals.

Peter Pincus added: “Bringing a vision this ambitious to life required tremendous trust and support from everyone involved. Butterfly Cannon gave me this and more – helping to bridge the gap between my imagination and the stunning physical reality of this 50-Year-Old whisky.”

Befitting of a whisky half a century in the making, that commands a price tag of £25,800, Glenmorangie 50YO x Peter Pincus is available exclusively through the Glenmorangie private sales team.

Source: Butterfly Cannon

  Branding, Butterfly Cannon, Collaboration, Glenmorangie, Marketing, Peter Pincus